Icklingham: Churches, Roman History and the Icknield Way

Icklingham is a good choice for a trip that gives different emphasis to cultural history and outdoor activities. All Saints Icklingham and St James’ Icklingham represent medieval architectural history; Roman remains and the archaeological traces at Devereux’s Pit go back further in time. The Icknield Way adds a distinct, activity-focused travel theme. You can choose what to focus on when planning your trip.

Churches and medieval architectural history

All Saints Icklingham is an untouched, thatched church of Norman origin; most of it was built in the 14th century. Its Norman origins and principal building phase point to two different periods: the Norman heritage sits alongside the later date of most of the building. The south windows contain medieval stained glass depicting two saints beneath canopies. The figures are framed by architectural details, adding a specific visual motif to the building’s history.

St James’ Icklingham is a 13th-century building with a chancel and nave; Project St James supports its upkeep. The chancel and nave are distinct parts of a church building. Together with All Saints, this offers a specific comparison: at St James’, the named points of reference are its architectural elements and date, while All Saints also has medieval window imagery and distinct periods in its history.

Roman remains and early archaeology

Icklingham’s Roman settlement includes Roman pottery kilns. There is also an area of Roman roadside settlement in Icklingham. These features offer different perspectives on the area’s history: pottery kilns indicate ceramic production, while the term roadside settlement describes a settlement area alongside a road. Together, they offer a glimpse of both craft activity and a form of Roman settlement.

Devereux’s Pit, also called Icklingham Brick Pit, preserves fine-grained Pleistocene sediments with archaeological traces from the Lower Palaeolithic. An assemblage comprises 116 artefacts, including cores, flakes—among them flakes bearing traces of handaxe manufacture—and chips. Together, the pieces indicate Acheulean technology of the Lower Palaeolithic. The geological description of the sediments complements the archaeological classification: preserved soil layers and evidence of early toolmaking are found side by side.

A stage on the Icknield Way

The Icknield Way has a 26.23 km stage from Icklingham to Knettishall Heath. You can walk, ride a horse or cycle on a mountain bike for most of the route. The distance refers to the route between the two named places. For trip planning, the trail offers a different focus from the churches and archaeological sites: here, the focus is on a specific stage and the different ways to use it.

If you are weighing up architectural history, Roman remains and an outdoor route, these are different reasons to include Icklingham in your travel plans. All Saints combines architectural history with medieval stained glass; St James’ offers a comparison based on architectural elements and dating. The Roman and Lower Palaeolithic remains broaden the historical picture, while the Icknield Way adds a stage with designated opportunities for walking, horse riding and cycling.

Discover more destinations: West Row, Ipswich, Saxtead, Kessingland, Brome, Kirton, Wickham Market, Bungay

For the main travel guide: Suffolk.